Donald Sterling speaks with CNN about racist remarks, Magic Johnson, future of Clippers

On Monday, disgraced Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was interviewed by Anderson Cooper of CNN. 

Sterling answered questions about the statements he made and was largely apologetic to players, other owners, his partners and the league, but also made several inflammatory comments during the interview.

The interview covered a great number of topics and lasted longer than an hour, but here are some of the key points.

Sterling & His Racist Remarks

On the comments he made on the recording:

I'm not a racist. I made a terrible, terrible mistake. And I'm here with you today to apologize and ask for forgiveness for all the people I've hurt.
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I love people, but those words came out of my mouth, I guess. And I'm so apologetic.

On whether he knew he was being recorded:

No, of course not. Of course not, no. I remember some of the dialogue in the living room. No, I didn't know she was recording.
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One of the things I said was 'Don't bring blacks to my games.' 25 percent of my whole game are black people and I love them.
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I was baited. That's not the way I talk. I don't talk about people, ever.

On these remarks being connected to prior claims of discriminatory practice by Sterling (he has also been recorded claiming he's not racist):

No, no, no, no. You're trying to connect them. Elgin Baylor has nothing to do with something I said 20 years later. I think you have more of a plantation mentality than you do, I think you're more of a racist than I am. I am not a racist and I've never been a racist.
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Do I own them? My players earn $100 million a year....well, I think I create opportunities for them. I don't give them anything, believe me. Of course they earn it, and they work harder than any other sport.

Sterling & V. Stiviano

On his relationship with V. Stiviano:

I don't think a gentleman should discuss any of the personal items that go on with a woman.
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No I don't trust her. And I wish I could just ask her 'why?'...Maybe I was just fooling myself for two years thinking she cared for me.

On whether she was extorting him for money (he cried at this point):

She is a good person. She is a beautiful person. There's 15 of her. 15 children. 15 Hispanic kids, sisters and brothers, and she supports them all. Perhaps she's made some mistakes. I thought she cared for me. I was stupid. How could a girl care for a man 51 years older?
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She's not a bad person. She has to survive. She's a street person. But inside she's a good person.
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I don't know why she did what she did...I'm the guilty one for uttering those terrible, ugly words that I don't mean.

On his claim that jealousy motivated him, despite the fact that he specified black men, not just men in general:

Did you ever like a girl? Would you ever jealous of a girl? I didn't want her to be photographed. I admit, I was jealous. It was stupid.
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Because she used the word black guys.
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I can't explain some of the stupid, foolish, uneducated words that I uttered. I don't know. You get upset, you say things....I really don't care who she brought, I was more into the game. I was a little jealous, I have to admit.

Sterling & The Clippers Players

On the Clippers' gesture of turning their warmup uniforms inside out:

I didn't pay it much attention. They are Clippers. They're mine, and I'm theirs.
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If one does it, they all have to do it.

On players saying they don't want to work for him any longer:

The players don't hate me. The fans don't hate me. The media hates me.
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Why wouldn't they like me, when I'm respectful.
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I contend that they love me. They do. They know I'm not a racist, and I'm not a racist. People are intimidated by even the thought of racism. Around the world, they call me from Australia or London, and they ask me 'are you a racist?' I'm not a racist.

Sterling & The League's Decision

On Adam Silver's decision to ban him:

I love every owner, I love the commissioner. The league actually believes in doing everything in their power to eliminate racism.
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The league is a good league, all honest people. Whatever they decide should be done, I think I should work with them and do it. I'm not sure that's what they want (him to sell the team). That's your opinion and that's what the media says. I'm a good owner, I have a good team.
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I don't want to fight with my partners...whatever their decision is, I have to do it.

Sterling & Magic Johnson

On Magic Johnson, who has been outspoken against Sterling:

What can I say to him? It doesn't matter. I'm hurt, but it doesn't matter. I'm hurt that he called me up and said 'don't do anything until you hear from me,' and then I didn't hear from him. And then he released a tape that I sent to him, that I talked to him in confidence.

He lulled me into not saying anything. He said 'I know the girl, don't do anything. I'll help you.' He just said wait, be patient, I'll help you. I think he wanted me to just do nothing so he could buy the team.
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He acts so holy. I mean, he made love to every girl in every city in America, and he has AIDS, and when he had those AIDS, I went to my synagouge and prayed for him. I hoped that he would live and be well. I didn’t criticize him. I could have, but is he an example for children? but because he has money, he can treat himself. Magic Johnson is irrelevant in this case.

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Magic Johnson, what has he done? He's got AIDS. Does he help anybody in South L.A.? What kind of a guy goes to every city and has sex with every girl and catches HIV, is that someone we want to respect and tell our kids about? I think he should be ashamed and go into the background. But what does he do for the black people? He doesn't do anything....He does nothing, it's all talk.
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I just don't think he is a good example for the children of Los Angeles. That he would go do what he did and then get AIDS, I mean, come on.
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He was a great player but I'd like to know, what does he do? You know what I do? I spend millions giving away and helping minorities. Does he? That's one problem I have...What has he done for any hospital? What has he done for any group? I don't know.

Cooper followed up the interview by outlining a great number of charitable causes and contributions that Johnson has been involved with.

Needless to say, Sterling doesn't exactly coming away from the interview looking any better than he did beforehand.